by KYW's Tony Romeo
Some state lawmakers are concerned about technology they say is being used by the Rendell administration to collect personal identification data on residents.
Representative Sam Rohrer (R) of Berks County, Pa. says he and other lawmakers have been exchanging communications with the Rendell administration about a contract with a private firm to create facial recognition templates from Pennsylvania driver’s license photos:
“These letters and much further research concluded that PennDOT was implementing the most onerous core provision of Real ID… in the form of the collection of personally identifiable and sensitive biometric ‘face prints’.”
But Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo says what PennDOT is doing has nothing to do with the controversial federal “Real ID” program: (see related story)
“PennDOT is merely looking at technology that might help them make Pennsylvania’s driver’s licenses more secure.”
Ardo says only those with reason to be concerned should be concerned.